Piper Gives Percy a Present
by RiteOnTime
Summary: The Second Giant War has ended before Percy's birthday, so everyone is able to celebrate properly, which includes a cake, a movie, and a stuffed animal. My idea of how Piper and Percy became friends with Jasper and Percabeth undertones. Piper POV.


**A/N: Image for this story not created by me. Unfortunately I do not have the link, but drawn by viria and idea by andythelemon. If anyone _does _have the link to this tumblr post, let me know and I'll add it. Anyway, this is how I think Percy and Piper's friendship might develop further after they defeat Gaea.**

* * *

What do you get someone who you just finished saving the world with for their birthday? I didn't know Percy _that_ well, even though we had just come home from our months-long quest. It took me a couple days to come up with an idea since Jason was almost no help and Annabeth and Percy were basically glued to each other's sides to the point where no one could get any time alone with either of them.

As something of a last resort, I went to ask Rachel since from what I knew, she and Grover were the only two people at camp who seemed to know what kind of a gift he would like. And since I had only actually seen Grover at camp less than a handful of times, I figured she was my best bet. Luckily, after talking with her, I came up with an idea.

Earlier in the day, I asked Argus to take me into the city. He seemed reluctant at first, but after laying on the charmspeak, he relented. Plus it wasn't like I was planning on shopping around; I knew what I was looking for and where to get it.

Once we got back to camp, I just had to wait for Percy and Annabeth to come back from whatever they were doing for their anniversary. From what I gathered they had been gone basically the whole day and the sun was just now beginning to set. But I knew that neither of them would miss being with the rest of the camp tonight considering what _other_ anniversary this day also marked.

Sure enough, as everyone was sitting down for dinner in the pavilion, Percy and Annabeth strode up from the beach, arms around each other and smiles on their faces as they talked. I was glad to see that they looked so happy. Honestly, after Tartarus, I wasn't sure _what_ was going to happen to the two of them or how they would cope, but most days they seemed to be okay. It probably helped that they had each other to lean on.

Dinner was a subdued affair, but not nearly as melancholy as I would have thought. Maybe the camp was glad that we had lasted through yet another war or maybe it was some sort of effect from the return of the Athena Parthenos, but I wasn't too perturbed as to why. I couldn't help but smile as I talked with the rest of the Aphrodite cabin because, like many times since we returned, I couldn't help but feel proud. Not of myself, but of everything the seven had accomplished and of the fact that the Greeks and Romans had finally been able to resolve the feud between each other.

And then the cake came out. It was huge – enough to feed every demigod at camp, and it looked like a blue version of the _Argo II_. The whole camp erupted into a chorus of "happy birthday" as Percy looked around and laughed, Annabeth at his side like always. Almost immediately after he blew out his candles, the rest of the camp went straight for the cake, though I held back.

Instead, I went to find Jason, since he had Percy's gift, and together we headed for the Poseidon cabin. Knowing Annabeth and Percy, they would be along shortly for some not-so-quiet time after dinner. Cringing slightly and trying not to think about the change in their relationship as of late, I took the bag from Jason and held his now vacant hand.

"Pipes, are you absolutely _positive_ that he's going to like this?" Jason asked, not for the first time.

"Yes, Jason," I said with a sigh.

"It just seems kind of stupid…" Whether he meant to say that to himself or loud enough so that I would hear as well I wasn't sure. However I was sure that Percy was going to at least _like_ this gift. Probably.

"Rachel said it's one of his favorite movies. Have you ever seen it?"

"Well, no, but—"

"Okay well we are definitely going to watch it now. And until then you can't call it 'stupid.'"

I had been threatening to make him watch it for days, ever since I told him about my idea. Jason hadn't been on board from the beginning, but since he didn't have any ideas of his own, we had gone with mine. Every time he complained that it was stupid, I told him I would make him watch the movie, which resulted in him shutting up immediately. And now that he had told me that he hadn't actually seen it, I decided he was going to, because I think it's really a good movie, even if it is for kids.

Percy and Annabeth finally emerged from the pavilion. When they saw us, Jason waved at them with his free hand. At least now he was smiling. Secretly, I think he was excited to see how Percy would react with the hope that he could prove me wrong.

They continued walking towards us and I started to get excited because I was also anxious for Percy's reaction. Annabeth would laugh, I knew that, but I didn't think she would get it, just like Jason hadn't. Both of them had grown up surrounded by demigods in places that didn't really have a connection to the outside world. I guessed that Annabeth, like Jason, would have no idea what the movie was or understand the connection between it and Percy's present.

"Hey," Percy said, smiling, arm around Annabeth. Both of them had hints of hastily-wiped-away frosting on their faces that I couldn't help but smile at. Sometimes they could be nauseatingly adorable, though I wouldn't be caught dead describing Annabeth like that. In front of her at least.

"Happy birthday!" Jason and I exclaimed. I held up the bag and offered it to Percy, who took it eagerly. I couldn't be sure, but I didn't think he had always had the best birthdays. He ripped through the tissue paper, tossing it aside as Annabeth laughed. It was like watching a little kid on Christmas morning and when he lifted his gift out of the bag, he had a huge smile on his face.

"What is it?" Annabeth asked, looking at the stuffed animal. "And why is one of the fins so much smaller than the other?"

Percy looked at her like what she had just said was the most shocking thing he had ever heard, which to him it might have been. You never know. He was holding the fish in both hands as if in reverence, and I couldn't help but laugh. I looked at Jason trying to catch his eye, and when I did, tried to express my feeling of _I told you so_.

"Annabeth," Percy began, actually hugging the fish to him now. "_Please_ tell me you've seen 'Finding Nemo'." When she shook her head, Percy muttered something like "oh my gods" before running into his cabin and returning with a DVD. Annabeth looked confused, which I couldn't blame her for.

"Dude, why do you have a copy of a kids' movie?" Jason asked with an expression similar to Annabeth's. Being raised at camp had some major disadvantages, among them missing iconic films that I, and apparently Percy, had grown up with.

"Because this is one of the best movies _ever_," Percy said with complete seriousness. He still hadn't let go of the fish, which was now situated on one side between his arm and his torso. In his hand he had the DVD, and his other grabbed Annabeth's hand and began to pull her towards the Big House.

"Let's go!" he exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice. "Guys we're going to watch this! Get excited!" I laughed as I pushed Jason ahead of me and shortly fell in step with him. On the walk to the Big House, Percy tried to explain the movie to Annabeth and Jason while they both unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to change his mind.

Annabeth did everything she could to get out of watching what she said was a "dumb kids' movie." She leaned towards Percy's ear and I could just hear her telling him that they would have more fun back in his cabin. But Percy was not to be fazed. "We can do that later, Wise Girl," he said as a blush stole over Annabeth's cheeks. Even Jason couldn't help but laugh.

As soon as we got to the Big House, Percy rushed up the steps and burst through the door, having let go of Annabeth's hand. She looked at me imploringly as I pushed Jason through the door. He turned around with a look that said _this is ridiculous_.

"Jason, we're watching this movie." I didn't want to, but I layered some charmspeak in my words. It was easier than trying to reason with him, and though I felt guilty about it somewhat, he would thank me once he watched the movie. Probably.

Annabeth looked at me like she was shocked. "Piper, come on, are you really going to encourage this?" she asked, probably hoping that I would convince Percy to do anything other than watch this movie. I smirked and grabbed her arm, pulling her through the door and following Jason to a room near the stairs that I hadn't been in before.

There was a couch and a reasonably sized television hooked up to a DVD player. Percy was sitting on the floor, remote in hand, and waiting for us all to get settled before hitting play. Annabeth sat next to him and I joined Jason on the couch, feeling excited again. I definitely did not have the same attachment to 'Finding Nemo' as Percy, but I still really loved the movie.

With one final look around the room, Percy pressed play. Throughout the movie, he and I said "aww" and laughed and gasped at the same parts and even if Jason and Annabeth weren't enjoying it, I certainly was. It was nice to see this part of Percy that had been nonexistent during the quest. Then again, there wasn't much time for watching movies aboard the _Argo_.

Once the credits began to roll, Percy turned to include both Jason and Annabeth in a look that seemed to beg them to tell him what they thought. Annabeth was the first to respond. "It was alright," she said. Percy looked scandalized and held his stuffed Nemo like he was trying to protect it from some horrible danger. At least it seemed like he was really enjoying his gift. Jason smartly stayed silent and let Annabeth take the blunt of Percy's indignation. But before he could start on what would probably have been a very passionate tirade, Annabeth got up and pulled Percy along with her.

"We'll see you guys later," she said with an exasperated sigh as Percy talked to his stuffed Nemo and reassured it that the "mean lady didn't hate him." Jason and I both laughed together before he got up to turn everything off and return the DVD to its case.

"So what _did_ you think?" I asked him as he snapped the case shut.

"I… liked it…" he said reluctantly. It was like I was torturing him or something.

"That's all?"

"Well I'm not going to say it was 'cute' or anything." He cringed slightly at the word "cute" as if it was something terrible to say.

"Gods, you can be so exasperating sometimes," I said, standing up and taking his hand to lead him out of the Big House.

"Should we give this back to Percy?" he asked, holding up the DVD. I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Jason thought it would be a good idea to go anywhere near Annabeth and Percy at the moment. It seemed everyone but he knew not to disturb them when they were in cabin three and the door was shut, which they probably were right now.

"We'll do it tomorrow," I replied, leading him towards the Amphitheater where it seemed a camp-wide sing-along was still going on.

* * *

It was a few days later as I was eating breakfast that Annabeth sat down next to me, took my fork out of my hand, and began to tear into my pancakes. "I was eating that!" I exclaimed, trying to reclaim my fork, but to no avail. Annabeth gave me a look and I decided that it might be better to just let her eat my breakfast instead of trying to finish it myself.

"I hate you," she said between mouthfuls. I couldn't help but think that this had something to do with Percy and his very apparent obsession with his stuffed Nemo. Honestly I thought it was cute how he took it with him to meals and had it watch him teach sword fighting lessons. Though I could see how that might get on Annabeth's nerves. Instead, I tried playing innocent.

"Why?" I asked trying and failing to hide my smile. She speared a piece of pancake with a ferocity that it did not deserve.

"He even cuddles with it when he sleeps, Piper," she said, as if that should explain everything. It only served to confuse me, though. How would she know he slept with it and why would that frustrate her? Unless… I decided to have some fun with her, since opportunities like this did not present themselves that often when you are friends with Annabeth.

"How do you know he sleeps with it?" I asked, taking a sip of orange juice and doing a better job of hiding my smile this time. My question got the desired effect. Annabeth stopped chewing and placed my fork back on my plate and pushed it over to me before beginning to chew slowly again. She took my glass out of my hand and took a sip, but that didn't hide that crimson blush that was now apparent on her face. Several moments passed as I looked at her expectantly and she avoided my gaze as if I had no idea what she and Percy got up to. I mean, come on, I'm a daughter of Aphrodite after all and I'm not naïve.

"Let's just forget I said anything," she finally said, looking at me at last. I lost it. Annabeth probably wasn't happy with that, but I couldn't stop laughing and eventually she began to smile, too.

"Your secret's safe with me," I said once I calmed down. She made a face and stuck her tongue out at me before tucking into my pancakes again. I felt the bench creak on my other side and I turned to see who had just sat down.

"Hey, Piper," Percy said, smiling. He had Nemo tucked under his arm. Annabeth continued to eat my breakfast as she muttered something like "I'm here, too" to the table and I couldn't help but laugh. "Morning, Wise Girl," he said, obviously having heard her. When she looked at him, he winked, and she started to blush again. Immediately I wished that I was not currently sitting between the two of them. Apparently Annabeth picked up on my discomfort because she leaned across me to kiss him.

"Gods, okay, enough!" I said, closing my eyes and feigning vomiting. As Annabeth sat down again, she had a very obvious smirk on her face. "Just for that, I'm taking my pancakes back." I grabbed the fork and pulled the plate in front of me, and thankfully she let me because I was still really hungry.

Percy was still smiling and seemed to ignore what was going on between Annabeth and I. "I never thanked you for Nemo," he said, stroking the stuffed fish's head affectionately. Next to me I heard Annabeth groan. "So thanks," he continued, looking at me again.

"Yeah, you're welcome," I said after I swallowed another bite. Annabeth let out a sigh that sounded like _oh my gods_, but Percy and I both chose to ignore her.

"We're gonna go play volleyball soon if you wanna come," he said, and I wasn't sure if by "we" he meant him and Annabeth or him and Nemo. Considering his attachment to the stuffed animal, I wouldn't be shocked if he were referring to the latter. I said that I'd like to, and with that Annabeth and Percy got up together. It felt like Percy and I were becoming real friends, aside from friends-who-saved-the-world-together.


End file.
